The Cavendon Women

LoveReading View on The Cavendon Women

This follows on from Cavendon Hall and is a projected series of novels set around a stately home in Yorkshire and its occupants, upstairs and down. The present earl, Charles, divorced with four daughters and one son and heir, is to marry their neighbour and old family friend, Charlotte Swann. The son, Miles, has been in love with her daughter for years so the scene is set to follow both families through love, marriage, divorce, financial upheavals and lots of drama. A huge amount of plot is packed into the book as the country crashes through the roaring twenties into the Great Depression, no doubt the centre of the next episode. It’s great stuff. ~ Sarah Broadhurst

The Cavendon Women Synopsis

A sweeping, multi-generational saga for fans of Downton Abbey, set around the stately home of Cavendon Hall as the roaring twenties change the family's fortunes forever. 1926. One stately home's future lies with four very different young women...On a summer weekend in 1926 the Ingham family gathers at Cavendon Hall, the great house in Yorkshire that has been their family home for centuries, summoned by the Earl. With them are the Swanns who have served the house for generations - and know all their secrets. The estate is under threat: the aftermath of the Great War has left Cavendon facing ruin. Its heir is pushing for divorce so he can follow his heart. And the Earl has a surprise of his own. Four young women from both sides of the house will be the ones to shape its future - Daphne, fighting to modernise her ancestral home; Cecily Swann, forging a path as a fashion designer in London; Deidre, the career girl, and Dulcie, the outspoken debutante. They will change the estate's future for good or ill as the roaring twenties burn towards the Great Depression. Nothing will ever be the same again...

The Cavendon Women Reader Reviews

In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion some of our Lovereading Reader Review Panel were also lucky enough to read and review this title. You can read their full reviews by clicking here.

Victoria Whish - 'If you’re suffering ‘Downton Abbey’ withdrawal symptoms then this is the book for you! The story of an Earl and his daughters, a grand estate and upstairs/downstairs life is pure escapism.'

Sarah Warbey - 'An enjoyable multi-generational family saga...All in all, a good read, but maybe not as dramatic as I would like.'

Some of our reader reviewers also read Cavendon Hall, the first book in the series. You can read their reviews below.

Christine Harris - 'An enjoyable escapist read, set in a stately home in the Yorkshire Dales just before WW1. A good read for anyone who likes historical fiction of this time period.'

Maz Tucker - 'Another good book by Barbara Taylor Bradford about strong female characters. Great family story following their lives.'

Christine Waddington - 'On the face of it this book has all the right ingredients - big house, aristocratic family, turmoil and intrigues upstairs and downstairs - but somehow it just fails to deliver.'

Vanessa Wild - 'A light-hearted, lively and easy read.'

Pam Woodburn - 'I found the plot rather fragmented and felt that fewer characters, more strongly drawn, would have improved the strength of the story.'

Jane Pepler - 'A book set in times similar to the TV series’ of ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Upstairs Downstairs’.'

Jane Nicol - 'A slightly disappointing tale of two families, the Inghams who have owned the Hall for generations, and The Swanns who have vowed to always serve them.'

Edel Waugh- 'I quickly became invested in these characters, some more likeable then others and I was sad having to finish the book...a must read for all fans of Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs.'

Sharon Lowe - 'delivers for all tastes, mystery, the loyalty between the servants and the family they serve and the Great War all brought together...truly a good tale of sheer indulgence and escapism for all.'

Ann Peet - 'It's a good escapist read and should appeal to Downton Abbey fans. I would probably be praising it a lot more if my expectations hadn't been so high.'

Judith Waring - 'it took me quite a bit of time before I could really develop any emotional attachment to the characters and I didn't really start to enjoy it until about half way through.'

Alison Jones - 'I enjoy family sagas and was excited to receive this one set at the end of the Edwardian era and WW1. But oh I was disappointed.'

The Cavendon Women Press Reviews

'The four young women centre stage are a feistier lot than their Downton counterparts...These are likeable, well-drawn characters whose fortunes you follow with keen interest...neatly captures the brittleness of the decade that danced and stumbled towards the Great Depression.'Daily Mail

'Sweeping, fascinating and dramatic... there's even a nod to Emma Harte. The power and emotion come through on every page'Romantic Times Book Reviews Acclaim for Cavendon Hall:

'A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue...if you've been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you'Daily Mail

'A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations...a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.'The Lady

About Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford was born in Leeds, and by the age of twenty was an editor and columnist on Fleet Street. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, became an enduring bestseller and was followed by many others, most recently Letter from a Stranger. Her books have sold more than eighty-five million copies worldwide in more than ninety countries and forty languages, and ten mini-series and television movies have been made of her books. She lives in New York City with her husband, television producer Robert Bradford.